Visit the Notre Dame de Paris
The Notre-Dame, found in Paris’ 4th arrondissement, is one of the most visited monuments in the city. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it’s one of the best examples of French Gothic architecture.
As one of Paris’s must-see sights, booking a walking tour is a great way to discover its history.
Historical events in the Notre-Dame
1163: King Louis VII and Bishop Maurice de Sully laid the first stone of the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris.
1345: Construction of the Gothic masterpiece was completed.
1789: The French Revolution led to the cathedral becoming state property and being looted.
1804: Napoleon Bonaparte actually crowned himself the Emperor of France inside the cathedral, famously taking the crown from the Pope.
1844–1964: Architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc led a massive, decades-long restoration project, adding the iconic spire.
1944: The cathedral’s great bells rang out to signal and celebrate the Liberation of Paris from Nazi occupation.
1991: UNESCO designated the cathedral and the banks of the Seine as a World Heritage Site.
Religious and Historical artifacts in the Notre-Dame
The Crown of Thorns, believed to have been worn by Jesus Christ during his crucifixion, is housed in the Notre-Dame. You can view the Holy Crown of Thorns during public veneration ceremonies held on the first Friday of every month, and during special religious celebrations.
As well as this, you can find fragments of the True Cross and a Holy Nail, associated with the Passion of Christ.
Look for the large historical paintings ‘The “Mays” of Notre-Dame’ commissioned by the goldsmiths’ guild of Paris between the 17th and early 18th centuries.
The final thing to see is the Great Bourdon “Emmanuel”, which is a massive historic bell cast in 1686 that survived major fires and revolutions.
Victor Hugo’s Impact
The 1831 novel ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame’ by Victor Hugo was a hugely successful publication, which has subsequently been made into films perhaps most famously by Disney, and actually saved the Notre-Dame de Paris.
Following the French Revolution, the cathedral suffered heavy damage, vandalism, and neglect, even serving as a storage warehouse. By the 1820s, city officials seriously considered tearing down the medieval structure or altering it extensively because it was seen as outdated and decaying.
After the publication of Hugo’s book, it became an instant success, capturing the public imagination and creating deep emotional attachment to the landmark
Public pressure prompted the French government to act. In 1844, authorities launched a major 25-year restoration project led by architects Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and Jean-Baptiste Lassus.
The 2019 fire at the Notre-Dame
On the 15th of April 2019, the whole world watched as the Notre-Dame Cathedral was on fire. It caused a huge amount of damage to the monument, which prompted an outpouring of financial support and pledges to rebuild it.
Some major corporations and Billionaires made huge pledges, including: LVMH / Bernard Arnault (€200 million), Bettencourt Meyers family & L’Oréal (€200 million), Kering / François-Henri Pinault (€100 million) and City of Paris (€50 million).
As well as this hundreds of thousands of individual donors from over 150 countries contributed.
The Cathedral has since reopened in 2024, following a massive five-year restoration.
Why visit the Notre Dame with a Guide?
Visit the Notre Dame de Paris with a Tour Guide to explore around the Notre Dame, ask all the questions you want and discover more about this historical icon of Paris!
